Nobuhiro Watsuki's
Rurouni Kenshin
The manga Rurouni Kenshin created by Nobuhiro Watsuki is perhaps more incredible than its awesome anime.
In the first very episode of his first issue of RuroKen, Watsuki admitted that he was a big fan of the Shinsengumi, which definitely explains why someone as potentially cruel and evil as Saito is noble and honest as well as deadly. Watsuki also wrote that he was a poor history student who avoided taking Japanese history.
What's really cool about Watsuki is that he has given us his thoughts on how he came up with his characters. For example, why does Kenshin have a cross-shaped scar on his face? Before Watsuki came up with the Revenge Story Arc, he had to create the character. He drew a character opposite of the tall, dark, and armored swordsman he created in another story. He drew a girl. To save his hero's masculinity, he added the scar on the pretty little man's left cheek. Kenshin, however, never looks particularly girlish when he's angry.
Watsuki also defended his # female hero, Karou Kamiya. He wrote that although she is popular among her female readers, people vacillate between thinking her strong and weak. He explained that this young woman was able to lead her own dojo in a thriving town, where there were so many other dojo. Remember, she's only 17, which proves that she is very strong in her kenjutsu. It also proves her strong character.
She seems weak only in comparison to Kenshin and Sanosuke.
The character of Hajime Saito was both easier and harder for Watsuki to create, mostly because Saito was a real person. But because he has such an impact on the story and on Kenshin, he had to adapt the real person's history to fit the character.
Watsuki wrote that he likes the way Saito is drawn as an aloof dirty hero with honor; who lives by the tenet of Aku Soku Zan; "Kill. Evil. Instantly." He is not an easy character to like and Watsuki drew him as a bad guy with his notorious "narrow" eyes and sneering smile. Watsuki created the Gatotsu for his Saito, although the Shinsengumi's technique, the Hirazuki, was real.
Near the end of the massive serial of some 28?? volumes, Watsuki had a reader's poll of Kenshin's greatest rival. The top five were: 1) Sojiro Seta 2) Hajime Saito 3) Enishi Yukishiro 4) Aoshi Shinomori 5) Sanosuke Sagara.
The only one I completely disagree with is the last. Makoto Shishio was far more important and devastating a rival than Sanosuke. To my mind, the first three are dead on, followed by Shishio and in fifth place, Aoshi. Jineh Udou would probably be seventh.
Sanosuke would not even make my top 10 in rivals. Kenshin was never angry when he fought him, so Sanosuke never knew what it was like to face the Battousai. Sanosuke is a great fighter and has the stamina of fifty strong men (or so), but he is not close to being in the same class as Sojiro, Saito, Enishi, Aoshi, Shishio, or even Jineh.
Chosing Sanosuke over Shishio was probably a sentimental thing.
My choice for Kenshin's sixth greatest rival is Tomoe Yukishiro Himura.
Tomoe was just as much a rival as any of the swordsmen Kenshin physically fought. She captured his heart and she broke it. She gave him his life and a new way to think about how he could use his skills with a sword.
And think on this, RuroKen was Watsuki's first published serial. Wow! His art is strong and emotive. Each action sequence is incredible. The side jokes are funny, clever, and endearing. And all the wonderful dialogue you're probably familiar with from the anime came almost word for word from the manga.
Watsuki wrote that his brainchild was not very well done, but he hoped that it would be loved for a long time. He has nothing to worry about, RuroKen, in manga and in anime form, will be one of my favorites forever.